Thursday, 7 May 2015

Why I voted Plaid today

When this blog began almost five years ago, I was not a member of any political party, but observing meetings of Carmarthenshire County Council and a conversation with Adam Price, who was then MP for Carmarthen East and Dinefwr, convinced me that Plaid Cymru most closely represented what I believe in.

What also stood out were Plaid's closeness to the grassroots and the party's extraordinary ability to attract talent. Unlike Labour or the Tories, there are no safe seats, there is no patronage and there are no passports to a risk-free career in politics, and yet Plaid in Carmarthenshire has produced Adam Price, Jonathan Edwards and Rhodri Glyn Thomas - three first-rate politicians who would have risen to the top in any political party in any country.

Adam Price is one of the most outstanding politicians of his generation, something which has been widely recognised across the political spectrum, and when he decided to step down as MP, he was a very tough act to follow.

Jonathan Edwards is very different to Adam, but he quickly put his own stamp on his new role after being elected. His brief in Parliament includes Treasury matters, business, innovation and skills, transport and local government, and his grasp of complex issues is really impressive. His work on the Housing Revenue Account, HS2 and the Barnett Formula has benefited the whole of Wales, and not just Carmarthenshire.

It has been my pleasure to spend quite a lot of time with Jonathan over the last year or so, and Jonathan in private is no different to the Jonathan you see in public. He is every bit as passionate, and sincere.

In Llanelli and in Ceredigion Vaughan Williams and Mike Parker have worked as hard as any candidates anywhere, and both would make excellent MPs. Let's hope they are given a chance to serve.

Wherever you live in Wales, put a cross against the Plaid candidate and give Wales a voice in Westminster.

8 comments:

A wily old fox of my acquaintance told me that it was impolite to make a comment unless one had something to add to a discussion or debate.So, anonymous, whoever you are, why bother to comment?Turning to the article itself, if you look at the gruesome collection of halfwits and stooges on the ruling party benches at County Hall Carmarthen, it is easy to see why Plaid Cymru is attracting votes in the county where they scored their initial and greatest triumph.The current Labour leadership is proof of the old adage that ain't only cream that floats to the top.

yes because cneifwr supports PLaid have yo not realised. whatever your colour if you don't realise the talent of Jonathan & Adam, you are quite thick. Ask anybody in Westminster about them and they are well respected across all parties

You have commented on Labour's anti democratic tactic of shouting down and drowning out the speech of rival candidates, and your are right to do so.Within the narrow confines of the campaign of which you blog, that is entirely correct.Labour appears to attract that kind of campaign worker then?If I have somehow missed it, please correct me, but I dont hear the howls of outrage when UKIP candidates are denied a democratic voice in ways that are even more extreme.Or does that bestow instead some kind of self justification.Now you may argue of course that to inject the 'UKIP' factor here is not relevant, and you coukd be right in that narrow parochial view.However, keep in mind the fact that Plaid Cymru's vote share in Wales came fourth, and lagged behind UKIP in Wales.So where does that get you...in the grand scheme of things, If Plaid cant do better than 4th in Wales, is there something wrong? But what? Their policies?Or can you take the attitude it's the fault, as do many London centric socialists, of the electorate for not being able to understand the issues?So, to sum up, in its own back yard Plaid is beaten by a bunch of 'ex miltary types' ...you know the rest of that quote cneifiwr, beaten in its own backyard....time for policy rethink eh?